Telecommunication
Infrastructure | Informatics | ICT Training and Development | Broadcasting/Media
Telecommunication
Infrastructure
The Ministry of
Telecommunications and Transport is responsible for the telecommunications
sector. The Lesotho Telecommunications Corporation (LTC) is the sole
provider of telecommunications services in the country. LTC also
serves as the telecommunications regulator under the Ministry. A functional separation of
operational and regulatory activities has not yet been carried out.
Teledensity:
- Total: 0.54
(2000)
- Largest cities:
5.84 (2000)
- Rest of the country:
0.54 (2000)
Digital main lines: 99.00%
(2000)
Waiting list for a telephone
line:
- Total: 20,000
(2000)
- Average waiting time:
>10 years (2000)
- Total demand (k):
42.2 (2000)
- Satisfied demand (%):
52.6 (2000)
Telephone Tariff (in US$):
| PSTN
connection charge - residential |
US$ 73.00 |
| Monthly
subscription charge - residential |
US$ 4.1 |
| PSTN
three minute local call |
US$ 0.02 |
Source:
African Telecommunication Indicators 2001
Public telephones: 350
(2000)
Public telephones per 1,000
inhabitants: 0.17 (2000)
Mobile cellular subscribers:
19,000 (2000)
There is one cellular telephone
operator in Lesotho, and it is a joint venture between LTC and Vodacom of South Africa.
Cellular subscribers as a % of
total telephone subscribers: 46.1 (2000)
Mobile cellular tariff (2000):
| Connection
charge |
US$ 16.4 |
| Monthly
subscription |
US$ 16.4 |
| Local
call per minute - peak |
US$ 0.62 |
| Local
call per minute - 0ff-peak |
US$ 0.32 |
Source:
African Telecommunication Indicators 2001
Telecommunications revenue (M
US$): 13.8 (2000)
Telecommunications investment (M
US$): 0.8 (2000)
Telecommunications investment as
a % of revenue: 5.9 (2000)
Telecom equipment exports (M
US$): na
Telecom equipment imports (M
US$): na
Telecentres: na
Facsimiles: 600
(1998)
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Informatics
The University of Lesotho (NUL) in
Roma has used e-mail since 1991 by connecting to Rhodes University in South Africa. In
December 1996, NUL was connected via a 9.6 Kbps analogue leased line to the University of
the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein, ZA (UniNet). Currently, NUL is the only public
institution in Lesotho with a full Internet connection. There were still no private
Internet Service Providers in Lesotho as of early 1999. This might be due to its small
potential market, its enclaved position within South Africa and its relatively cheap
telephone connections to South Africa.
The Institute of Southern
African Studies is located at the University of Lesotho and its main purposes
are research and the development of information systems and services. ISAS was the
ECA/PADIS focal point and it was provided with a PC and modems under the CABECA project.
Computers
per 100 inhabitants: na
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ICT
Training and Development
The computer science
programme at the University of
Lesotho (NUL) offers a bachelor degree in computer science.
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Broadcasting/Media
Radio Broadcasting: Three
broadcasters operate in Sesotho and English.
Television broadcasting: One
broadcaster transmits in Sesotho and English. MultiChoice is also present in
Lesotho as a TV joint venture.
Radios per
100 inhabitants: 3.7 (1995)
Television
receivers per 100 inhabitants: 1.6 (2000)
Pay TV
decoders: na
Cable TV
subscribers: na
Home
satellite dishes/antennas: na
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